3rd Annual Sozosei Summit to Decriminalize Mental Illness

The 3rd Annual Sozosei Summit to Decriminalize Mental Illness was held from December 5 – 7, 2022, in Philadelphia, PA at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA). The event drew more than 700 attendees from around the globe including thought leaders, people with lived experience, medical professionals, lawyers, judges, advocates, artists, and funders — all working to build a world where mental illness is not a crime.

Centered on themes of (Re)Imagining, (Re)Considering, and (Re)Framing, the Summit asked: what is essential to decriminalize mental illness while exploring how to increase access to mental health care in communities throughout the United States. 

Through keynotes, panel discussions, interactive workshops, and experiential learning, the Summit offered valuable insight into the greatest obstacles we face in the movement to decriminalize mental illness while considering tools that can be created or better utilized to increase access to mental health care in communities. 

The event featured more than 50 speakers and panelists, including Kristen Clarke, assistant attorney general for civil rights for the United States Department of Justice; Patrick Kennedy, former U.S. representative (D-RI) and founder of The Kennedy Forum; Greg McKeown, author of Essentialism and Effortless, and Zak Williams, son of the late Robin Williams and noted mental health advocate. 

Full recordings of the 2022 Sozosei Summit and all previous Sozosei Summits can be found in the links below. 

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2022 Sozosei Summit Archive